asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he will give figures showing the value of agricultural machinery made in this country which was exported to Russia in 1926, and the corresponding figures for the last completed pre-War year?

The value of the exports of agricultural machinery (including agricultural tractors) of British production consigned to Russia in 1913 was £1,103,293. This figure, of course, includes the exports to the territories which now form the Succession States: it is not known, however, what proportion of the exports went to those territories. The value of agricultural machinery (including tractors) consigned to Russia (U.S.S.R.) in 1926 was £23,773; and the consignments to the Succession States in 1926 amounted in value to £19,447.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what was the total value of locomotives imported into Australia from the United Kingdom in the years ending 30th June, 1925, and 30th June, 1926?

The value of locomotives imported from the United Kingdom into Australia in the year ended 30th June, 1925, according to the Australian trade returns, was £104,888. The corresponding figure for the year ended 30th June, 1926, is not yet available. The figures for United Kingdom exports taken from the British returns show that the value of the exports of locomotives to Australia for the calendar year 1926 was £485,184, as compared with £116,281 for the previous 12 months.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of imported Havana cigars that was cleared from bond for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date, and also give the comparisons for the two previous years?

Separate figures of Havana cigars cleared from bond are not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the approximate number of vouchers for Payments of £2 and over that are given to customers in Great Britain yearly and which, although they are in the nature of receipts, do not bear a 2d. stamp?

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport the amount allocated from the Road Fund during 1926 to the county of Staffordshire?

The amount made available from the Road Fund during the year 1926–27 to highway authorities in the administrative county of Staffordshire?

The amount made available from the Road Fund during the year 1926–27 to the borough of Wednesbury is £1,918.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of accidents, fatal and otherwise, at railway level crossings during 1926?

The reports received in my Department show a total number of 59 persons killed and 40 injured in accidents at railway level crossings in Great Britain during 1926.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of officers and personnel, together with their cost, employed for the purpose of checking telegraph charges?

The staff engaged in the accounting offices in checking the charges on inland telegrams averages 24, at a cost, including supervision, of about £5,000 a year. It is not practicable to give figures as regards foreign telegrams, the work of checking the charges being inseparable from other accounting work relative to such telegrams.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, while a number of clerical officers redundant to requirements in the provincial establishments of the Post Office and transferred to London offices are retaining the seniority appropriate to their service and receiving increases of pay to bring them up to the London scale, certain other clerical officers, few in number, have been transferred to London from post office establishments in Ireland on the setting up of the Irish Free State without carrying seniority rights or having their pay adjusted; that the latter officers were compelled to transfer owing to their known loyalty to the British Government during the disturbances in Ireland; and if he will agree to give his personal consideration to the claims of these servants of the Crown?

It is the case that certain clerical officers were transferred from the Irish Free State when that State was set up. These transfers were made on the basis of an exchange of situations between officers serving in this country and in the Free State, and were regarded as being effected on a voluntary basis. The standing regulations then in force did not provide for the carrying of seniority in such a case, and I regret that it is not practicable to reopen these cases which were decided more than three years ago. The other officers referred to by my hon. Friend are presumably those who were redundant to requirements in the provincial engineering department, and were transferred to London in the interests of the Service. Their retention of seniority, etc., is in accordance with the usual practice in such circumstances.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of Post Office Savings Bank deposits standing to the credit of open accounts as at the last convenient date?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford (Sir F. Wise) on the 21st February last.

asked the Minister of Pensions the aggregate rates of salary, including bonus, payable during the current financial year to the established civil servants appointed to the post of chief area officer at Norwich, Edinburgh, and Lewisham, and of the deputy-chief area officers at Liverpool and Birmingham; and the aggregate paid to the unestablished officers who were substituted in order to find posts for established officers?

The permanent civil servants who were appointed to the posts mentioned by the hen. Member had become redundant in their grade, and it was my right hon. Friend's obvious duty to consider the possibility of providing them with alternative duties appropriate to their rank. I would point out that none of the officers referred to in the question held the appointment mentioned for the whole of the financial year. The aggregate salary and bonus which has been or will be paid to each of these officers during the current financial year is as follows:

of the unestablished officials who held the posts mentioned prior to the transfer of the permanent civil servants is as follows:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if persons employed by Government Departments contract out of the Employers' Liability Acts?

The employés of certain industrial establishments of the Service Departments may, if they wish, contract that the scheme certified by the Registrar of Friendly Societies for such establishments in accordance with Section 31 of the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1925, shall be substituted for the provisions of that Act.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if, in the event of alleged wrongful dismissal of a civil servant, any facilities are given for an investigation into the circumstances of the case?

Except in cases which may give rise to criminal proceedings, it is the practice to communicate in writing to an officer full particulars of any charge against his conduct before any disciplinary action is decided upon. If subsequent to an officer's dismissal, it is alleged that the full circumstances were not considered, it is for the head of the Department to decide in his discretion of what further steps should be taken in the matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that the Rent Restrictions Act comes to an end in December next, he is now in a position to make any statement as to the introduction of legislation to extend this Act?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 17th ultimo to a similar question by the hon. Members for smethwick {Mr. Mosley).

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the statement of the chairman of the housing committee at Great Crosby, Lancashire, that no more subsidy houses are required in the district; and whether he has received any other similar evidences showing that the need for such State aid is ceasing elsewhere also?

My attention has not been drawn to the particular statement referred to by the hon. and gallant Member. A certain number of local authorities have informed me that in their opinion there is no need for the continuance of financial assistance for the erection of houses by private enterprise in the circumstances of their particular district.

asked the Minister of Health whether a balance sheet is issued in connection with the Approved Societies' (Officers) Guarantee Fund; and the amount standing to the credit of the fund?

Balance sheets of the several Approved Societies' (Officers) Guarantee Funds are included in the annual National Health Insurance Fund accounts presented to Parliament. The amount standing to the credit of the Approved Societies' (Officers) Guarantee Fund (England) at 31st December, 1926, was £61,000. The similar fund administered by the National Health Insurance Joint Committee amounted at the same date to £150,000.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Mr. J. J. Scott, one of the West Ham Poor Law commissioners, has recently died; and if he can state the name of the new commissioner he has selected to fill the vacancy?

Yes, Sir, but my right hon Friend is not yet in a position to state the name of the new guardian to be appointed.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state for each year since 31st March, 1909, the total expenditure of the local authorities of England and Wales; and the amount of Government contributions included in such expenditure?

The desired particulars are given in the following statement for all the years for which they arc at present available.Statement showing, for each of the under-mentioned years, (i) the total expenditure of all local authorities in

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the fact that the turnover on the stock and

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of income received by the Treasury from Income Tax and Super-tax for the last five completed financial years; and the standard rate of Income Tax for the same period?

The figures are as follow:share exchanges and markets of Great Britain amounts to many million pounds per annum; and will he consider the introduction of a tax on this turnover?

My right hon. Friend is unable in a matter of this kind to anticipate his Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total yield of the Sugar Duty for the year 1925–26; and what portion of it was provided by products from the Empire?

The total yield of the Sugar Duties in 1925–26 was £19,370,000, of which Empire products and home manufactured products accounted for £3,660,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, at the Colonial Office Conference of governors or junior officials of the non-self-governing Colonies, Protectorates and mandated territories to be held in London next May, the question of the organisation of the Colonial Office and the Crown Agents will he discussed?

The agenda of the Colonial Office Conference have not finally been drawn up, but it is unlikely that the questions referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend will be discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will arrange for the laws affecting the natives in the other East African Dependencies to be published in Swahili, similarly to the publication in Uganda of the laws in Luganda?

For the reasons given in my reply to the hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. Gillett) on the 22nd July last, I am doubtful as to the general advantage to the natives of publication in Swahili, which is only spoken to a limited extent in the East African Dependencies, but I will take an opportunity of discussing the practicability of the proposal with the Governor while he is on leave.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if any steps have been taken to give effect to the recommendations contained in the land and labour policy of the Conference of Governors of the East African dependencies (Labour 3); and, if so, what is the nature of the steps?

Steps have been taken with a view to the issue in the territories concerned of instructions for the use of officers in accordance with the recommendations of the Conference; and when all are complete copies will be placed in the Library of the Rouse as promised by my right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Colonial Affairs on the 14th December last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why Palestinian postage stamps bear an Egyptian inscription instead of the head of King George?

At present Palestine uses the Egyptian Expeditionary Force issue of postage stamps, surcharged "Palestine" in English, Arabic and Hebrew. New postage stamps will be introduced this year with the new Palestine currency, and will bear pictorial representations of buildings and other objects in Palestine which are of historical interest.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of sailors discharged from the Navy during the year 1926 under the headings for wounds and for diseases, respectively; and the number that were granted disablement pensions under each heading?

During 1926, 1,632 naval ratings and marines were invalided for disease and 93 for injury or wounds. The number who were awarded pensions was 600 approximately. I regret that statistics are not available distinguishing between pensions for injury or wounds and for diseases.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India when the Government expects to be in a position to inform the House as to whether the whole expense incurrd in sending Indian troops to the Far East will fall on Indian revenues or on the Imperial revenues?

I cannot add anything to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Bow and Bromley (Mr. Lansbury) on the 3rd March.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the whole cost of the sending of Indian troops to China will be a charge on the Imperial revenues?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Bow and Bromley (Mr. Lansbury) on the 3rd March.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to secure an impartial investigation into the extent and nature of British investments in China, with the view of ascertaining the economic results to Britain and to China and their effect upon the relations between the two countries?

I do not think that any such investigation would serve a useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the present position in regard to Wei-hai-Wei; whether it was agreed at Washington to restore this place to China under certain conditions; what these conditions are, and which is the one which causes delay in the re-transference of the place; whether he will state the nett cost to this country of looking after the place; and whether he will take the opportunity to clear up the affair by handing the place back?

The position as regards Wei-hai-Wei remains as stated in the reply given to the hon. and Pliant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) on 3rd August, 1925. The cause of delay in rendition was also explained in that reply; this cause still remains in effect. For the terms of the Washington Agreement regarding Wei-hai-Wei I would refer the hon. Member to Command Paper No. 1627 (Miscellaneous No. 1, 1922). The cost to this country of the administration of the territory is nil. As regards the last part of the hon. Member's question, an agreement for the rendition was negotiated in 1924, but in the absence of a recognised government in China to whom to hand over the territory, it has been impossible to implement this agreement. No way has yet been found to overcome this fundamental difficulty.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any information concerning the whereabouts of Mr. G. E. Metcalfe, of the China Inland Mission, reported captured by bandits at Yuanmow, Yunnan; and whether Mr. Metcalfe's family have been interfered with?

Mr. G. E. Metcalfe was captured by brigands at: Wutinghsien, about 70 miles from Yunnanfu, on 18th February. A telegram received by the China Inland Mission on the 2nd March stated that he had been released. An earlier telegram stated that his wife and child were safe.

asked the Prime Minister when the Government expects to provide time for the Second Reading of the Indian Navy Bill?

As I announced last Thursday, it is proposed to take the Second Reading of this Bill on Wednesday next.

asked the Attorney-General the total number of magistrates appointed annually during the years 1924, 1925 and 1926 in counties and county boroughs, respectively; and how many of these were women?

The total number of magistrates appointed annually during the years 1924, 1925 and 1926 was as follows:—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many estates have

asked the secretary for Mines if he is aware that the Derbyshiire and Nottinghamshire collieries have decided to reduce pit prices of house cole for London by amounts varying from

If I have rightly interpreted my hon. Friend's question, the following is the information which he desires to obtain:—

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make inquiries as to the number of small holdings in South Wales; whether any applications for small holdings have been refused; and if there is a waiting list of persons desiring to obtain small holdings in South Wales?

The following statement gives the information required:2s. 6d. to 4s. per ton; and whether the London coal merchants have reduced the price of coal by a like amount?

From quotations in the coal trade papers there appears to have been a downward tendency during the past week or two in the pithead prices of certain classes of house coal in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. I have no means of ascertaining in regard to particular pithead reductions the extent to which the benefit is passed to the consumer; but, as the hon. Member is aware, the retail prices of coal in London were reduced on the 24th February by from 3s. to 4s. 6d. per ton.

asked the Secretary for Mines what is the pithead price paid for house coal supplied to the London market and the retail price of such coal during the months of December and January, 1925–26, and the same months of 1926–27?

The range of retail prices of house coal in Central London during December-January, 1925–26, was from 36s. to 50s. 6d. per ton according to the quality of the coal and the time of delivery. The corresponding range of retail prices between 11th December, 1926, and the end of January, 1927, was from 47s. to 62s. I cannot say what pithead prices were paid for the coals so sold, but I am informed by representatives of the London coal merchants that they were from 7s. to 15s. higher in the latter period than in the former.

asked the Minister of Labour what European members of the League of Nations, apart from those which have deposited ratifications of the Washington Eight Hours Convention with the Secretary-General of the League of Nations, have passed legislation enabling them to ratify subject to ratification by this country, or whose Governments have announced their intention of ratifying if this country is prepared to do so?

In France legislation has recently been adopted by the Senate enabling the Government to ratify the Convention conditionally on ratification by Germany and Great Britain. I am not aware that any other of the countries referred to by the hon. and gallant Member has mentioned this country by name either in declarations of policy in regard to this matter or in legislation.I am also informed that the German Government has prepared a Bill dealing inter alia with the question of hours with the intention of ratification if the other Western Powers of Europe take similar action, but I am not in a position to state whether its terms are fully in accordance with the provisions of the Washington Convention or the London Agreement.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the question of the international prohibition of the import of goods produced under sweated conditions was considered by the preparatory Commission for the Economic Conference; if so, what was the attitude of the British members of that Commission towards this question; and whether it will be placed on the agenda of the forthcoming Economic Conference?

I have been asked to reply. The report presented to the Council of the League of Nations by the preparatory Committee does not make any specific reference to this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the present rule as regards young men, living with their parents, thrown out of work through no fault of their own and who are in consequence refused unemployment benefit; and if he is aware of the hardships caused in many cases, especially when the fathers are only in casual employment?

The rule, which the hon. and gallant Member apparently has in mind, is that it is not expedient in the public interest to grant extended benefit to single persons who are residing with parents or other relatives to whom, having regard to all the circumstances, they can reasonably look for support during unemployment. Cases of hardship are expressly excluded from the operation of this rule. If the hon. and gallant Member has any particular cases in mind I will have inquiries made on receiving particulars.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of men engaged on public works under the control of municipalities and other local authorities under schemes obtaining assistance from public funds in the form of loans or grants during the months of December, January, and February in the years 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927?

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind schemes for the relief of unemployment put in hand by local authorities, etc., with the assistance of a grant from State funds. The following table shows the total number of men engaged at the under-mentioned dates, according to returns received in the Department on schemes of this nature assisted by the Ministry of Transport and the Unemployment Grants Committee:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, why the historical pictures in St. Stephen's Hall have been moved, and where they can now be seen?

It is proposed to remove the pictures in question, in order to make room for a new series of historical paintings to fill the eight panels in St. Stephen's Hall. The picture which has already been removed is now being framed, and will be hung in Committee Room 10. Of the remainning two, one will be moved in due course to Committee Room 10 and the other to Committee Room 14.

asked the Home Secretary the composition of the Departmental Committee which is to investigate the existing regulations with regard to shop hours, and the desirability of continuing them?

As already announced, the Chairman will be Sir William Warrender Mackenzie, and the following have agreed to serve on the Committee:

• My hon. and gallant Friends the Members for
• Great Yarmouth (Sir Frank Meyer);
• Kilmarnock (Major MacAndrew).
• My hon. Friends the Members for Salford South (Mr. E. A. Radford);
• Paddington North (Sir William Perring);
• Greenwich (Sir George Hume);
• Berwick-on-Tweed (Mrs. H. Philipson).
• The hon. and gallant Member for Devonport (Mr. Hore-Belisha).
• The hon. Members for
• St. Rollox (Mr. James Stewart);
• Lincoln (Mr. R. A. Taylor).

asked the Home Secretary how mar y city and borough police forces there are in England who have no full-time police matron in their police force; and whether in those cases he is satisfied with the arrangements made for the searching and supervision of female prisoners"

On 29th September, 1926, the latest date for which details are available, there were in England and Wales 77 city and borough police forces where full-time police matrons are not employed. In all these cases, however, arrangements are made for matrons or police women to be called when neces- sary. On the information at present before him, my right hon. Friend sees no ground for considering these arrangements unsatisfactory.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is taking any action with regard to the recommendations of the Desborough Committee in favour of the amalgamation of the police forces for the purpose of securing the standardisation of the conditions of service, training and working methods of the police?

My right hon. Friend has taken such action as has been possible from time to time to secure the objects which the Committee had in, view, and eight small borough forces have been merged in the respective county constabularies since the date of the Committee's Report. Nothing more, I am afraid, can be done in this direction without legislation which there has been no opportunity, so far, to introduce, but a considerable measure of standardisation of conditions has been secured by other means.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men have been trained at Catterick since the start of the training scheme; and how many have proceeded overseas to each Dominion?

The total number trained in all trades at the Vocational Training Centre, Catterick, is approximately 1,320, of whom approximately 410 were trained in farming. Of this latter number, about 190 emigrated after training —131 to Australia, 47 to Canada and the remainder elsewhere.